Cowes Chain Ferry will debut on the River Medina in the Isle of Wight in early 2017
By
Rebecca Gibson |
Southampton, UK-based naval architects Burness Corlett Three Quays (BCTQ) have designed a new Cowes Chain Ferry, which will debut on the River Medina in the Isle of Wight in early 2017.
Commissioned by the Isle of Wight Council, the 37m vessel is currently under construction at the Mainstay Marine Solutions yard in Pembrokeshire, UK. BCTQ will oversee the build and provide technical support, working closely with both the council and the shipyard up until the successful completion of the commissioning trials.
The new £3.2 million vessel has been designed to replace the island’s existing ferry, which has been in service for 40 years, and will have increased capacity. It will also allow both foot passengers and vehicles to board simultaneously to reduce loading times. During the crossing between East and West Cowes, passengers will be able to access a lower and upper deck with panoramic windows.
This will be the sixth ferry – dubbed locally as the Floating Bridge – to serve the River Medina between East and West Cowes over the past century. It is also one of several designed by BCTQ.